Journey of Baalnoi through 2020

January 2020

▶23rd FOUNDER’S DAY was celebrated on 30 Jan 2020. The function was attended by a large number of our Ex students/Faculty and staff.

February 2020

▶34 cadets from all Directorate of NCC attended SSB coaching with our Academy. We were happy to be associated with the mission and vision of NCC.

▶ Lt Taranjit Singh earned his “Red Berret” after successfully completing his PARA PROBATION.

March 2020

▶ The present pandemic was unprecedented and the world was not ready for the same. Frankly speaking, nor were we. The world is currently in a state of war. A war without guns and bullets known as COVID – 19. Thankfully it has a weakness and it can be defeated. It only requires our collective action, discipline and forbearance. Let’s flatten the Covid – 19 curve. Let’s exercise patience. Soon we shall regain our freedom, enterprise and socializing.

April 2020

LOCKDOWN IS FOR COVID NOT FOR EDUCATION

▶ Our business model was based on class room coaching and outdoor experimental learning. However we quickly adapted to the online model and we made rapid progress in getting our Academy on track. By the time the first lockdown ended on 15 April, we launched a Blitzkrieg on online classes. We groomed our best offline faculty to handle online classes and the results were MAGICAL to say the least.

• We created Zoom Rooms
• Held interactive sessions with students
• Offered free education to students in the month of April 2020
• Miss Harpreet Kalsi took charge as Technical support head of the Academy

May 2020

▶ We started online SSB coaching for our students from 05 May 20. Since our outdoor ground was co–located to the Academy we were able to conduct all outdoor tasks like PGT/HGT/CT/FGT for ease of understanding and assimilation we also created small film on Individual obstacles and outdoor tasks. The student could safely undertake SSB coaching from the confines of their homes. When the SSB’s reopened on 6 July many students made us proud by cracking the SSB.

Some of our selected students

June 2020

▶ We created a new GTO Ground at our Nangal Raya branch. The task would have remained incomplete without the assistance of Capt Taranjit Singh Kalsi who conceptualised the task from start to finish. (PARA WALA HAI BHAI)

▶ Sqn Ldr Toolika Rani our ex-student who sealed Mount Everest was our Guest speaker. The webinar was attended by 200+ students and was a huge success.

▶ Since, the govt had allowed construction work to start we were able to complete our new Hostel building. We were also able to repair/modify our old hostels.

August 2020

Our guest on the 74th Independence day

▶ Maj Gen V D Dogra was our second Guest speaker for the month. Gen V D Dogra was the first serving General to win the Iron Man competition. An ardent physical fitness freak he taught the student as to how mind can control the body to achieve wonders.

▶ Miss Rakulpreet Singh, a fauji kid and a Bollywood and South based film Heroine was our guest speaker for the month. She stressed upon the values she imbibed during her fauji upbringing which helped her to achieve a pole position in the film industry.

▶ We created a new Individual obstacle ground for out Academy at Jaipur. The ground is very much akin to what exists in the selection board.

September 2020

▶ Lt Gen Manvendra Singh Ex Commandant IMA was our Guest Speaker in Sep. An alumnus of RIMC, Dehradun, Sir passed out 10th in the all India Merit List, where after he joined NDA Khadakwasla. At NDA, he held the most coveted appointment of Academy Cadet Adjutant. He also won the Best Army Cadet. At IMA He won the prestigious Sword of Honour and was commissioned into 14 Guards. He taught the students how ‘I’ (Individual brilliance) is converted into WE (Collective brilliance) at the Training Academies.

October 2020

▶ Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav was our Guest speaker for the month. He is a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army, who was awarded the highest Indian Military Honour decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, for his action during the Kargil War. Aged 19 when he received the decoration, he is the youngest person to be awarded the medal.

▶ This month our team was strengthened by the addition of three new assessors.

▶ Maj Gen A K Shukla Was commissioned into the Rajputana Rifles in 1980. He commanded 15 Raj Rif. The Gen has held various staff and operational appointments tenable by an officer of his stature. He also planned and implemented changes in the intake of officers in the Technical branches of Army during his tenure in Army headquarter. He was Commandant Selection Centre central Bhopal before retirement.

▶ Gp Capt Vijay Kukreja –Gp Capt V K Kukreja retired from Air Force in 2009 after 33 years of meritorious service during which he was commended twice by the Chief of Air Staff and once by AOC-in-C of a Command. He was Dy President of an Air Force Selection Board. He is very passionate about motivating and training children for joining defence and has been following the same with great zeal and enthusiasm since his retirement.

▶ Col Ravi Bali – An Alumnus of Military School Chail and a product of NDA. The officer has served with all Army boards as GTO. He comes with rich experience of the selection system.

▶ Our friends from NE - Sainik School Imphal took SSB Coaching with us. We undertook all SSB coaching in the open adhering to govt protocol. Needless to say the end result was heartening. As per latest information the following candidates have already made the grade for NDA

▶ We launched our new venture “Baalnoi Military School” at Jaipur. We completed the stage of paper work and the construction has commenced. We plan to start our School by 2022. It is rightly said education is the best way to empower the society.

▶Despite the fact that we had suddenly shifted to a new format of education we customised ourselves to the new world outside us, our boys continued to work hard and didn’t let the pandemic or personal struggles get in the way. Some of our Online NDA aspirants who have successfully cleared NDA I & II Examination 2020 which bears testimony to our method of coaching, online or offline.

November 2020

▶ Students from Sainik School Purulia attended SSB Coaching with us. It was a pleasure to interact with a bunch of motivated cadets.

We launched Phase II coaching for X/Y Group Airman. The coaching was attended by students in large numbers and benefitted the students in a big way. In fact some of our students got recommended within 7 days of our coaching in IAF “Open Rally’

December 2020

▶ 2020 was a year full of challenges and struggles we all witnessed together. We bid adieu and bring forth the new aspiration, assurances, hopes and ambitions with rejuvenating sunlight of the New Year. I along with Team Baalnoi take this opportunity to wish you a healthy and lucrative new year. I pray to the almighty that the strength of the positivity extends many folds and bring you all the accomplishments of your life and times to come. We wish you health, happiness and tranquillity with God’s grace.

Lastly, tough times don’t last but tough people do.